Ohio State University Gets Bowl Ban

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel (L) and quarterback Terrelle Pryor celebrate after beating the Oregon Ducks in the 96th Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California, January 1, 2010. Photo: REUTERS

Ohio State University has been handed a one year bowl ban, according to a report.

The ban will be in effect for next season and as a result the Buckeyes will not be allowed compete in the Big Ten championship game. The ban, reported by The Columbus Dispatch, is for NCAA violations that occurred under former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

It's new coach Urban Meyer who will pay the price next season, under the one-year bowl game ban that's just been handed down to Ohio State.

The penalty is more severe than university officials were expecting, according to the Dispatch. Athletic director Gene Smith wasn't expecting a bowl game ban, the newspaper reported.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions ruled in addition that Ohio State must forfeit nine scholarships over the course of the next three seasons -- more than a self-imposed penalty from the university which reduced scholarships by five over the same period.

Ohio State had reported payments to players by a booster to the NCAA that was in violation of association rules, and the NCAA had charged Ohio State with a failure to monitor the football program, considered a serious charge.

Also, the NCAA gave Ohio State a third year of probation to the university's self-imposed two-year probation period.

Ohio State can play in a bowl game this season, as the team will face Florida in the Jan. 2 Gator Bowl. Meyer won't be on the sidelines for the game, as he's set to official take over immediately following the contest. Meyer has already been recruiting for the Buckeyes, however.

Ohio State forfeited all of its wins in 2010 as well as money netted from the Sugar Bowl as part of its self-imposed penalties for infractions under Tressel, who resigned in May under fire.

Tressel was handed a five-year show-cause order from the NCAA which effectively keeps him from coaching again during that period.

Of great concern to the committee was the fact that the former head coach became aware of these violations and decided not to report the violations, the committee wrote in its report.

If Tressel was to be hired under the show-cause period, a school would have to present a case to the NCAA as to why the coach should be hired. And, if any infractions occurred under Tressel, should he be hired, a school would potentially face servere penalty.